Smoky Hill Express, Issue 3 2011 by Carrie Faust

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INDEX2 STAFF LIST EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Daniel Jennings Tyler Blair NEWS EDITOR Daniel Jennings OPINIONS EDITOR Alex Sorrell SPORTS EDITOR Tyler Blair CLUBS EDITOR Hannah Kim

2010 Teachers-ofthe-Year

15 OPINIONS SmartCo calls it quits

16 FEATURE Places to visit downtown

18 A&E Review: “The King and I”

A&E EDITOR Mariah Hayes FEATURE EDITOR Tyler Blair STAFF Nick Bancroft Cheyanne Brazelton Tyler Bush Hope Decker Denise Escoto Briana Evans Amber Lindesmith Carla Macias Nicole Martinez Josea Moore Alex Sorrell Josue Urrutia The Smoky Hill Express is an open forum for free expression by the SMoky Hill High School community. The Express is a student-run publication produced in the state of Colorado, and is therefore not subject to prior review except by its own staff. All final design, reporting and content decisions are the responsibility of the student journalists of Smoky Hill High School under their advisor. The views articulated in The Express do not necessarily represent the views of the entire staff, Smoky Hill High School, or Cherry Creek School District.

NEWS

23 CLUBS Greenhouse club plans mural

FRUSTRATION OF A SMOKY HILL CHEERLEADER 28-29

26 SPORTS Poms place 6th at State

Cabaret Nite 20

All-State Choir accepts 23 students 5

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g n i s s i k m o r f o n o m t c a r t n o c s t n e d u St us; those vir No treatment for ait it out w affected have tothat mono was back

“It started with severe abdominal pain and I knew something was wrong,” senior Garrett Weiss said. “We went to the hospital and they ran a ton of tests to come to the conclusion

in my system, so they took a cat scan and saw that my spleen and liver were majorly swollen. I was really scared because the doctor said if my spleen ruptured, or burst, then I could easily

die.” Mononucleosis comes from a virus that is shared through bodily fluids. Even a cough can spread it. The virus is spread through exchanging fluids kissing, thus the term “the kissing disease.” This is not the first time that Weiss has had mono. The first time was mild and contracted through kissing his ex girlfriend. His current case was a re-occurrence due to stress. “This break my mono came back, but this time it was much worse,” Weiss said. “I don’t how I got it. My current girlfriend does not have it. I think that the virus was still in my system and came back when I was under a lot of stress. It really sucked having mono,I was tired all the time and I really didn’t feel like doing anything it took a really big chunk out of my life.” Other cases of mono were discovered at Smoky, some during the fall show. “I got mono from sharing drinks with people

in drama club,” junior Shy Olson said. Symptoms of mono are: sore throat, fever, swollen glands, fatigue, as well as a swollen spleen and liver. Students have encountered mild or chronic cases of the disease. “Your chances of dying from the flu are higher than the chances of dying from mono. It’s a virus that can linger in your system for months, its a disease that there is little known about getting rid of you just have to wait until it gets out of your system,” nurse Elsie Humes said. The only way to find out if someone has mono is through a blood test. “I already thought that I had mono when I went to get the test done the doctors approved it and I was stuck being miserable for a few months because there isn’t a cure or something you can take to get rid of it; you just wait it out,” Weiss said. nikki martinez hope decker

Did you know? About 90% of the U.S. population will have had mono by the time they are 25. Mono itself is not contagious. Mono typically lasts 30-50 days in adolescents.

Nikki Martinez

Junior Garrett Weiss contracted mono from kissing his ex-girlfriend. Mono also spreads when people share the same drink.

Over 90% of people who have mono have a fever, that usually lasts 10-14 days and peaks in the afternoon. It can go up to 40 degrees but usually stops at 38-39.

Those who have mono experience flu symptoms at first, which worsen later on. About 50% of those who have mono experience spleen and liver enlargement, and can get rashes too. Although mono rarely requires medical treatment, in some cases, like Weiss’, it is important to see a doctor to make sure side effects remain under control. Information from monotreatment.com

NEWS4

h c a o r p p a y l k c i u ation deadlines q

Applic

for their re a p re p ts n e d Stu oals g n io s is m d a e g e coll college application process

As deadlines for college applications approach, students are flooding the post-grad office to get their transcripts and letters of recommendation sent off to their colleges. Some of them, like senior Maris Reid, do not have as much to worry about because they got their applications done early. “At first, it was difficult to find a balance between college applications, homework, and much needed free time, so I tried to get all my college stuff done as quickly as possible so that I’d be able to finally start enjoying my senior year,” Reid said. “I’ve definitely learned a lot about time management. There’s no way I would have been able to complete the Did you know? Last year, 92% of 2010 graduates planned to attend college. Of that 92%, 76%, 210 females and 173 males, went to a 4-year institution, and 24%, 43 females and 58 males, went to 2-year schools. Seven students enlisted in the military, five students started jobs, and 30 said they planned on doing other things, like travelling. There was a total of $8 million in scholarships offered to students.

if I would have never made an effort to manage my time wisely.” Reid said that her parents let her work on her application independently. “They just kind of let me do my own thing,” Reid said. “At first, I really wished that they would get more involved, but then I realized that it would have been even more stressful if they did. I mean, they would make sure I was keeping up with deadlines and pay for all my apps, but that’s as far as their involvement extended. Looking back, I think that really showed that they trusted that I’d get everything done.” Reid has applied to six colleges. “It is too early to tell what the statistics will be like this year,” post-grad secretary Susan Connally said. “I would say that right now I have processed more applications than this time last year. I’m seeing some high-end colleges and am excited and anxious to see where students will be accepted to. There are some very prestigious schools.” Six students were admitted and attended Ivy league schools last year,

Nikki Martinez

Junior Britney Tankerskey turns in transcript requests to the Post-Grad center. Colleges require that transcripts be sent by the school.

and there are more students applying this year. “There are a lot of students looking at ivy leagues this year; it will be interesting to see who is accepted to where,” Connally said. There have not been many early decision applications this year, but Connally said that there never really are. “Students really appreciate teachers who take the time to write and upload letters and forms,” Connally said. Most students will find out where they have been accepted to in the spring. Reid has been accepted to Georgetown University, but has yet to hear back from other schools she has applied to.

Students who are planning on attending community college do no have as much to worry about application-wise. “[The application process] hasn’t been too stressful because I know community colleges will take me when I graduate,” senior Daniel Cho said. “I don’t have any regrets about the last four years because what’s done is done and I’m happy that I’m graduating.” “It is lots of fun working with the seniors this year; they are great kids,” Connally said. “I often think I have the best job in the school, and every year I think the senior class has been the best one yet.” daniel jennings

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y k o m S m o r f 3 2 s e m o c l e w r i o h C All-State prepare for

Choir members rgo Theater Fa festival at Wells practice,” senior Brandi Twenty-three choir members were accepted into All-State Choir, and four also made it into AllState Jazz Choir. “Twenty-three is a lot of students,” choral director Michael Grant said. “It’s well above the average number, which is typically about two to eight students for a school our size.” All-State Choir members must audition including singing a solo, a capella scales, and triads, and taking a test on music theory, including sight reading and interval detection. “[To get into All-State Choir, it took] weeks and weeks and weeks of

Veatch, who made both All-State Choir and AllState Jazz Choir, said. The All-State Jazz choir is more selective, comprising of only 32 of the best jazz singers, eight male, and 24 female members. Four choir members from Smoky Hill were accepted, which is one-eighth of the Jazz choir. “I’m very honored because both choirs are very selective,” senior Jason Williams, who is in both All-State Choir and All-State Jazz choir, said. Grant attributes the success of Smoky Hill’s choir program to the strong bonds that choir members has with each other.

Students who qualified:

All-State Choir 2011: Suzanna Champion Esther Lee Katie Watts Cara Givan Joanne Hart Charlotte Iese Lauren Mills Maris Reid Beth Streeter Rachel Hoster Natalie Pushkin Brandi Veatch Bryan Meza Daniel Rink

“It’s that family/ community feeling choir has, and all of our choirs are strong, therefore kids work together on the technical aspects of the audition to strengthen each other,” Grant said. All-State Choir prepares

Emric Thompson Daniel Mullan Peter Ferguson Michael Harland AJ Lee Austin Romerein Ryan Simons Lucas Wang Jason Williams All State Jazz Choir 2011: Rachel Hoster Brandi Veatch Daniel Rink Jason Williams

for and then holds a festival Feb. 6-8 at the Wells Fargo Theater. All-State Jazz Choir has a separate event Jan. 29. hannah kim

Hannah Kim

Smoky Hill’s December choir concert honors the students who qualified for All-State choir. The students will participate in a festival at the Wells Fargo Theater Feb. 6-8.

NEWS6

d e c n u o n n a r a e y e 10 teachers-of-th

CHERYL PARICIO How do you feel about receivig this honor? Very flattered! We have a lot of great teachers at Smoky, so I’m very honored to have been chosen. When I saw Mr. Karr walk in my classroom with the other administrators and Mrs. Bartholomew, I knew something must be up, but I think I wasn’t ready to believe it until I heard it announced! In your opinion, what makes a good teacher? Foremost, a good teacher has to care about kids and want the best for them. This job is too hard to do it for any other reason! Patience is also necessary since students are at different places in their learning and have different ideas about how to learn. (The trick is having enough patience left over for the rest of your life outside of school!) I also believe that a good teacher has to believe in their students’ abilities, even if the students don’t always demonstrate that ability or believe it for themselves. A good teacher also has to have the ability to remember what it was like to be just learning concepts for the first time. It’s easy to take a lot of mental jumps in teaching because you have been familiar with the information for so long it’s second nature. Those mental jumps can be frustrating to students, so a good teacher should be approachable and open to learning from their students. Lastly (at least for now), a good teacher should be very clear in their expectations, not only of the subject being learned, but also of the respect for everyone in the classroom.

have also given me an honest look at school from a student’s perspective and an idea of what students want in a good teacher. Thanks also goes to those who nominated me. I feel very encouraged by their support. I also want to thank my AWESOME science department for sharing all their great ideas and being excited and earnest about helping students love science. It is an energy-giving environment in which to work. I am especially grateful to my Chemistry teaching partners Mrs. Bartholomew and Mrs. Yates, for they are an unbelievable team of teachers in their trust, their work ethic, and their encouragement. Finally, I have to thank ALL the people associated with the Literacy/Learning Lab for helping me rediscover my core beliefs about teaching and encouraging me in that direction. I feel like I’ve rediscovered my passion for teaching through them! What advice would you give a teacher who is just starting out their career? Determine your core beliefs about teaching and students, what’s really important to you, and teach to those core beliefs. You will be much happier! Alex Sorrell

LORRAINE CORTESE How do you feel about receivig this honor? I was very surprised, excited, and extremely honored. In your opinion, what makes a good teacher?

Who would you like to thank for being a teacher of the year?

A huge and giving heart and the love for childeren, and the want for them to be life long learners. Someone who invests themselves in their education.

First and foremost, my husband, Mr. P! He is truly an inspiring teacher (as many students here at Smoky already know), and he has taught me a lot about “being yourself” as a teacher and enjoying the uniqueness of each student. Secondly, my own children, Lindsey and Eric, since they have not only put up with their mom doing school work on “their” time, but they

What advice would you give a teacher who is just starting out their career?

Nikki Martinez

Love what you do; see your students’ future and help make it happen. “BYTE;” Better yourself through education.

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n a m r e p p O m i J : wrestling coach

Profile

includes ry to is h ’s n a rm e p Op restling w n a th re o m h c mu middle linebacker for the

State champ wrestler, Philadelphia Eagle, professional rugby player, race car driver, and defeater of cancer. Welcome to the life of head wrestling coach Jim Opperman. “He tells us not to try, but to just do it,” junior Johnathan Sidhu said about Opperman. Opperman was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and raised in Lakewood, Colorado. He discovered his passion for wrestling in the 8th grade. “Coach Opp seems like a real tough, hard guy,” senior Garret Mowbray said, “but when you get to know him you see he’s just a big teddy bear.” Opperman’s past wrestling carreer has brought him to Smoky Hill as our head wrestling coach. He has been coaching for four years. “In tenth grade I was the JV champ, and wrestled two varsity matches, losing by, like, a point,” Opperman said, reflecting on his past as a wrestler. “I started wrestling in 8th grade, because I thought it seemed cool. My junior year, I took second in State, and my senior year I went undefeated and was the State champ.” In addition to being State champion wrestler, Opperman was also a

Philadelphia Eagles. “A year of that wasn’t enough and I wish I could’ve played longer,” Opperman said. Aside from his professional carreers in football and wrestling, Opperman competes at the professional level of rugby. “I’ve been playing rugby since ‘74, and I never made the U.S. team,” Opperman said. “I was so close; the year that I was supposed to make it I sprained my ankle. [At] the tryouts, I just couldn’t make it. Rugby is one of my passions; it’s a great game. My team and I go on tours every other year and go to play in Europe and Chile. I played in Sydney, Australia, 3 months ago and in Spain over summer.” While rugby is a passion of Opperman’s, he spent part of his time living life on the race track. “I raced at Englewood Speedway, and I was rookie of the year in my senior year of high school. I raced my freshman year in college but since I was at CSU playing football, my coaches didn’t want me to race so I stopped.” Though Opperman has experienced extraordinary things, he has had to overcome cancer on two separate accounts. “I had Hodgkin’s

Wrestling coach Jim Opperman blows his whistle during practice. Opperman has been interested in wrestling since 8th grade.

[Lymphoma] disease,” Opperman said. “In 1985 I was diagnosed with it, and in a year’s period I had six months of chemo and three months of radiation. Then it came back five years later and I had six more months of chemo. It’s just what life

brings you; you’ve got to take care of what you’ve got to take care of. In life, things happen. And you’ve got to just continue to do what you’re going to do.” tyler bush

NEWS8

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l l i H y k o m S o t s t n immigrant adap

Russia

ounts c re r io n ju l il H y k Smo States life in the United Junior Olga Podlesnkh came to America not knowing any English, anyone outside of her family, and not knowing how life in another country would be. “In America, everyone smiles,” Podlesnykh said. “When I first came here, I remember seeing all of the smiling faces as if to

welcome me even though I felt like I didn’t belong. In Russia people don’t smile at others they haven’t known all their lives.” Podlesnykh has lived in America for just over a year, having moved here Nov. 24, 2009 from a small town in Russia. “I remember every detail by the minutes,”

Podlesnykh said. “I remember it was ten minutes to six when I woke up to find my best girl friend sitting on my bed. She told me ‘I came to say goodbye one last time.’ My friend tapped my side and told me to look through the windows and I saw many people. My friends, my family, and even my teachers were all there to say goodbye to me.” Podlesnykh grew up in a rural town 10 hours

from Moscow. Her home was located in a forest with a river running though the backyard. “There are a lot of differences between America and Russia,” Podlesnykh said. “It has been hard to learn a different language, adjust to a different school, and make friends who don’t share your same culture. People here don’t really know what Russian food is or really know a different way of life than what they have.” Podlesnykh is happy being at Smoky Hill even though she misses Russia, her family, and her friends. “I wanted gold earrings for my birthday, but I just happened to get a ticket to America and a whole new life instead,” Podlesnykh said. nikki martinez Photos courtesy of Olga Podlesnykh

NEWS10

Denise Escoto

Mixed reactions to after-school detention

Students miss the point, some see as ineffective After-school detention disciplines students by having them work for an hour and 35 minutes (the length of a regular class period) but without talking, eating, and use of electronics. If students do not abide by these rules and guidelines they are kicked out and will have to deal with other consequences from their dean. “Detention is a place students are assigned, so as to reflect where their

lives could spiral too, if not handled right,” security guard Howard Suddreth said. Though the students receive instructions on on how detention is run, some do not understand how it is supposed to benefit them. “I don’t think it’s working at all because people keep missing it and getting more detentions,” junior Jerusalem Mamo said. “I think that they should make it a little bit shorter and less

strict so more people won’t miss it.” Even students who have never experienced detention agree that its not a good place to be. Junior Carrissa Currier, who never received a detention in her three years of high school, said her time is too valuable for detention due to her involvement in sports, but Currier also gave some insight on how detention should be run to be effective. “[Students] should have to have some type of school work and show the

work they accomplished to [the security guards] before they leave,” Currier said. Despite what some students might say about the means of detention, dean Bryan Bryden believes it serves a valid purpose because it takes away a students’ free time. “For some kids it is effective,” Bryden said. “For those who don’t go [to detention] or are repeat offenders, then we will have too look for higher consequences.” mariah hayes

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2 1 S N O I OPIN

e r u t u f y r a c s a o t d ody scanners lea

Full b

ports ir a t a rs e n n a c s New dment n e m A h rt u o F te viola The legality of these

Not many people can say they have had a naked picture taken of them, but with the new full body scanners that are being installed in airports, that may change. These new scanners create an image of a person’s naked body with the intent of seeing if said person has weapons or a bomb. This is supposed to combat terrorists, like the underwear bomber, who put weapons under their clothes. While I am all for protecting homeland and airport security, I think this goes too far. Now I do not mind that a picture of my naked body is being taken, probably due to my lack of inhibition, but what I am worried about is what this could lead to. These scanners cannot detect if you have bombs inside your person, which has been attempted. With this shortfall, the next logical step will be cavity searches. This takes the searches at the airports too far. When are we going to stand up for our rights? Now? Or in order to get on a plane for you next vacation, will you be ok when TSA officer must put his hand in unimaginable places?

searches is up in the air, but I believe they are unlawful. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens from, “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Basically, to have a search there must be probable cause. I don’t know about you, but the worst thing I’ve ever done is to drive 45 mph in a 40

mph zone; I don’t think that constitutes probable cause or tags me as a criminal. Now I know it can be debated whether or not national security warrants this, but the big thing is that searches “must be done by an officer of the law.” While screeners may be called “TSA Officers,” they are not officers of the law. They are no more than government employees, like mail men or teachers. And in some airports, they

are private contractors. So for no other reason than sometime, somewhere, some thing may happen, people are being searched by a man who went to two weeks of training. I think it is time we started exercising our First Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of our grievances. If not that, at least ask for breakfast after our cavity search. alex sorrell

Photo illustration by Alex Sorrell

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m a e t g n i d a e l r e e h c ’s l l i H y k o m S o t r e Lett gives Senior Kelly Hein agement r u o c n e f o s rd o w team to cheerleading

To My Cheer Babes! From their tears, to their joke circles, to some serious emotions that came with the “final” phone call, I was very happy to get to spend the day with the Smoky Hill Cheer Squad. I have never felt more accepted in a group of girls than with that team. To me, a team is a group of people that get to know one another, help each other through their hard times, and stay true to each other no matter what. Our cheer squad has shown me that can actually happen. I don’t usually feel comfortable around a bunch of girls, but these fun-loving, hard working athletes are a part of a sport, and a real, genuine hard-working team. I had the great pleasure of enjoying every last moment of a full day of intense practice and competitions with these girls. Before the team went on for the first time, two of the girls invited me into the “prayer circle”, which regretfully the coach asked me to step out of because of superstition; however, at that moment I felt like I was truly a part of one of the most amazing, and talented groups of young women in this entire school. I give my full respect and gratitude to these girls for allowing me to hang out with them for an entire day. I have never felt a feeling of family so strong from a group of teenagers than the varsity cheer team. LOVE KELLY HEIN!

Tyler Blair

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r e t t e b s t n e d u t s t rants need to trea

Restu

of money e rc u o s ig b a s n Tee ommunity c l il H y k o m S e in th as loud, cheap, slow I come in and order my burrito. The person behind the counter gives me a “look.” I pay for my burrito and sit down with my friends. We eat and talk quietly. After 10 minutes we leave and go back to school. Just change the noun for the food and you have the lunch experience of any Smoky Hill student. Teens are a huge source of money, especially in the Smoky Hill community. It is estimated that teens spend $150 billion a year. I know I spend too much on food. Here is an example of the amount of money I spent on food one week. • Monday: $3 for a Slurpee • Tuesday: $4 for a bagel sandwich. • Wednesday: $10 for a Chipolte burrito • Thursday: $7 at Sonic • Friday: $6 at Tacobell Total: $30 Let’s times that by 1,800, the total amount of students eligible to go off campus, and that is $54,000 spent in the 4 mile radius around Smoky Hill. Teenagers are often seen as the enemy of business. We are described

thieves. Well, society is wrong. Workers at these places do not act too happy when teens come in; we always get the “look.” Every teenager knows when he is getting the “look.” The “look” is a mixture of many things: disappointment, fear, anger, and suspicion. Teens should not be looked at like they are going to steal everything that is not nailed down to the

floor. With as much money as teenagers spend at these establishments, they should be treated better. Nothing is making them eat or shop there. Think about it; they are the perfect customers. They come, order their food, scarf it down, and are gone in at most 30 minutes to get back to school. Teens are paying customers, and how does their presence suddenly make everything worse? I know that not all teens are good, polite people, but the majority of them are. And for the ones

who are not, if you act like an idiot then you deserve to be treated like one. The rest of us, however, should be treated like the paying customers we are. Teens should avoid places that treat them like common criminals. It is like being in a abusive relationship. The next time an employee gives you attitude for no reason, leave. Eat at the place next door. In these economic times, I am sure many business would love our money.

alex sorrell

Alex Sorrell

uary 19, The Express -Jan

2011 - Opinions

o d a r o l o C n i s t i u q t i g n i l l munity a m c o c o l C il t H r y a k o Sm g hurts the Sm in

SmartCo clos

After only five months of operation in Colorado, SmartCo is calling it quits. Allegedly the business did not catch on here, causing a lack of profit. SmartCo decided to close all five stores that were opened in Colorado. In these hard economic times, where jobs are highly sought after but not easily found, those unfortunate people who were hired at SmartCo are now all being laid off. Finding a job is hard enough, but finding one, and then quickly being told the store is closing is a terrible thing to endure. I can’t imagine how the employees who were originally from Albertsons must feel. According to a press release from SmartCo, there will be about 100 people laid off. They will be offered severance packages and the opportunity to relocate to other stores the chain might open, but seeing that the business just closed down five of their stores in Colorado, there is a high doubt that any other store will do very well. Those 100 people are basically screwed over when it comes to a SmartCo job. Now that SmartCo

is closing, students will have nowhere to shop for that quick, well-priced chocolate bar before history class. Since there is not a grocery store anywhere near, students without cars are now stuck walking a long distance to another store, or settling for some 7-11 junk chocolate. SmartCo wasted a ton of time, energy and money opening up and then quickly closing down. Now that SmartCo is closing, the only thing that students can do is wait for the Walgreens to open and hope that their prices match up with SmartCo’s long gone prices. Why was the store not given at least a year to prove themselves? A more profitable business, like King Soopers or Safeway, could have taken the store spaces. According to the

Shelby Report Denver’s grocery store market is very hard to enter, with King Soopers, Safeway and Walmart having almost 3/4 of the market. A more fragmented market would have been easier to enter. I know I did not see any advertising about the stores, not a TV commercial or even an ad in the paper. Any new business should try to advertise as much as possible, a corporation should know this. It seems like these stores were almost destined to fail. Aurora needs to be more careful who they allow to open a business. There should be a certain amount of time a corporation has to stay in business in the city before they are allowed to close because as of now they are only harming the community’s economy. amber lindesmith

�

owntown enver

plaes of interest

As you drive across the Dam Road toward Cherry Creek High School, the soaring skyscrapers of Downtown Denver gleam in the sunlight. Everyone has been downtown at least once, whether it be for a night at the theater, or shopping on the 16th Street Mall. But Downtown Denver holds several secret attractions that many people might not know about. These several places that are located throughout the city bring out your inner book worm, tickle your history fancy, and offer a unique and creative Mongolian meal.

Dining in Style BD’s Mongolian Bar-B-Q Located in lower downtown next to Jet Hotel, BD’s Mongolian Bar-B-Q takes a unique spin on Mongolian food. Customers travel through a line, picking their favorite noodles, meat, and vegetables. Once they finish, customers line up around a large circular grill, where chefs grill the food in front of you. BD’s offers excellent service and a nice dining expierience with family or friends.

Tyler Blair

History Buffs Daniels Fisher Tower Brown Palace Hotel Denver City and County Building Union Station For any history fan, these buildings offer a great portrait of what Denver used to be like. The Daniels and Fisher Clock Tower lies right on the edge of the 16th Street Mall, and the Brown Palace Hotel offers historic tours including a tour of the presidential suite.

Kelly Hein

Tyler Blair

The Denver City and County Building lies off of Civic Center park, and sits across the street from the Capitol. Denver Union Station sits at the end of 17th Street in historic Lower Downtown. Currently, the station is undergoing a major renovation to incorporate commutter trains and busses.

Fun Facts *The Daniels and Fisher Tower used to be the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Tyler Blair

*The Brown Palace has been visited by past presidents Theodore Rosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Bill Clinton, as well as by The Beatles.

Book Worms

*Union Station is more than 100 years old.

Tattered Cover

*Union Station looked a lot different before a fire burnt the central depots in 1894. Imagine the station with two clock towers at opposite ends.

The Tattered Cover is located off of the 16th Street Mall in lower downtown, and is the premiere book store to visit during your adventure. Not only can you browse the two levels that contain books, but you can lounge in a chair, drink a coffee, and flip through the pages of a magazine. The Tattered Cover is the place to go if books are must have items during a shopping excursion. Tyler Blair

Tyler Blair

A&E18

” I d n a g n i K e h T “ ’s n o d n a L : w e i v e r l Musica

s general ld o h b lu C a m ra D sical auditions for misujust about to leave Siam “This musical isn’t like the ones in the past: boy arrives in a town, he creates mischief, he meets a girl, falls in love with girl, and happily ever after,” senior stage manager Taylor Poole said. The King and I is a true story based on Margaret Landon’s novel, Anna and the King of Siam, about a widow who accepts a job as a live-in governess of the King of Siam’s children. Anna and the King fall in love, but her British upbringing prevents her from living with him. She

when she hears of the King’s approaching death, and returns to help his son, her favorite pupil, rule his people. There are a hundred decisions that go into consideration when choosing a musical. “We’ve had strong boys for the past several years and we wanted to pick a musical that utilized that strength and we also wanted to showcase the women,” dance and aerobics teacher Lisa Wood said. Those auditioning

for the musical do not necessarily audition for one specific part. Instead, they have a general audition and are placed in their roles based on their performance. Senior Suzanna Champion auditioned for the part of Anna Leonowens, but she was no stranger to the stage since this will be her fourth year participating in musicals. “As terms of the musical I’m excited for the costumes because it’s a really cool costume show,” Champion said. Junior Emric Thompson is another musical veteran who auditioned for The King and I. “I’ll take whatever part

I can get,” Thompson said. “The past few years have been leather jacket, upbeat sort of stuff, so I’m excited for the new culture of The King and I.” The musical will be performed the first weekend in March. briana evans Reading: Students read the call-backs for the musical. The musical will debut early March. Briana Evans

Briana Evans

Orchestra’s Winter Concert

Briana Evans

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e c n e r e f n o C n a i p s The ts invest in n Smoky Hill stude rtunities Thes-Con oppoandu the All State Musical The 47th annual Colorado State Thespians Conference gave 37 Smoky Hill students the chance to study under professional actors Dec. 10-12. “I think it is the most valuable thing that theater students can do during the year,” performing arts coordinator Tim Brown said. “Students see how excited people are about theater and they have workshops that give them access to have professionals.” Thes Con gives students interested in performing arts an opportunity to receive scholarships to over 40 universities, colleges, and conservatories. They also have the opportunity to compete at the National Thespian Conference. “To get a national ranking, the judges all have to give a superior ranking without consulting with each other,” senior Sean Nicely said. “[It’s] a little chance at fame for me. This is a chance to really showcase your talent and hard work.” Students took the Light Rail downtown and stayed at the Hyatt Hotel to attend workshops at the Wells Fargo Theatre. Some of the events that take place at Thes Con include Swing Dance, Yoga, Stage Combat, Techie Relay Race

which senior Suzanna Champion is part of. “Last year at the convention they were holding auditions. I had to sing and act and I eventually got a call back,” Champion said. “It is a huge honor to work with everyone; they’re really talented and it’s nice to see that we share the same passion.” Thes Con is a chance to meet people from all over who share the same interest in theatre. “Thes Con makes you think about how much of a community drama club is and how it is connected nationally,” senior Sara Dillon said. nikki martinez hope decker Nikki Martinez

Hope Decker

Standing: Senior Marie Walsch performs a monologue in the auditorium. Students can perform various acts at the Thespian Conference. Watching: Students participating or considering to attend the Thespian Conference listen for further information and instruction on the event. Thes Con was held Dec. 10-12.

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Cabaret Nite for sophomores and juniors Choir members perform 21 numbers The lights dim and the spotlights are all directed to a small raised platform on stage. The audience becomes silent as the first performer, sophomore Meaghan Johnson, walks up on the platform. The piano starts a tune, and Johnson opens her mouth to welcome the audience by singing “Cabaret”. “Come to the Cabaret, old chum. Come to the

Cabaret.” The first Cabaret Nite took place Dec. 2 in the Auditorium. Cabaret is a show for sophomore and junior choir members to perform solo. “The primary purpose is to get kids to bust out of their comfort zones,” choir teacher Michael Grant said. There were 21 performances that night. “This year I wasn’t

nervous, especially compared to last year,” junior Euna Chung, who sung “Fall For You” with Esther Lee, said. Cabaret also doubles as a fundraiser for the choir program. “It was a little smaller than past years, but we didn’t do as good of a job advertising it like we have in the past; it snuck up on us being right after Thanksgiving,” Grant said. The song genres ranged from modern songs, like “Grenade” sung by junior

A. J. Lee, to Broadway numbers, like “Nothing” from A Chorus Line sung by junior Alyssa Gibson. “It’s great to see everyone come out of their element,” junior Katie Watts, who sung “Show Me”, said. “You really get to see people’s personalities and talent.” Missed the first Cabaret? A second Cabaret Nite that will be held Feb. 3 at 7:15 p.m. in the Auditorium. hannah kim

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Studen

r e c n o c d n a b r e t n ts perform in wi

Juniors Taylor Amstein and Shatana Boynton, and sophomore Rachael Chacko (left) perform with the rest of the jazz band (below) in the winter band concert. The concert took place Tuesday, Dec. 7.

2 2 S B U L C

CLUBS:

WHEN AND WHERE YOU CAN MEET

1. Literary Magazine Wednesdays 2:45 p.m. Room I-219

Be a part of creating the literary magazine. Or write and draw pieces to be published in it.

2. NEHS

Red Mondays 2:45 p.m, Room I-215 Mariah Hayes

Join the National English Honor Society for a night of trivia during Winter Spirit Week.

Bead for Life held a teacher party Dec. 3 in the main office conference room from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Teachers and students came in to buy jewelry made by Ugandan women. Bead for Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal was to earn $2200 to send to the main foundation. The beads are made from recycled paper. Bead for Life also sells cosmetics and soaps made from shea butter pressed by the women from shea nuts. To learn more about Bead for Life go to http://www. beadforlife.org/

3. Greenhouse Club Tuesday 2:45 p.m. Room II-305 Plant in the greenhouse and also help clean up outside the school.

4. Bead for Life Although the club will not be meeting for a while, you can buy beads made by Ugandan women during World Awareness Week.

Above: Senior Crystal Murillo looks at beads during the teacher party. Bead for Life is an organization dedicated to bettering the lives of Ugandan women.

5. Young Journalists Wednesdays 2:35 p.m. Room I-219 Learn how to write newspaper articles and get your writing published in the paper.

Mariah Hayes

Left: Bead for Life sponsor Laura Buddington organizes beads during the teacher party. The beads are made from recycled paper.

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e s u o h n e e r g d e s u n u s n a le c b lu C e s u Greenho environment-schemed muraltotofubnedpraaisineted Club plans ause wall and and sells t-shirts on greenho promote conservation of the

Smoky Hill has a greenhouse. But, until recently, not many people knew about it. “I found out that we had a greenhouse in our school last year, but I was told that it wasn’t being used as one. It was actually being used as a storage room for renovations and the science teachers,” senior Sravya Kattula said. “I thought we had a really good resource in our school that we could use as an asset for science classes and just helping the school in general. So I decided to start [Greenhouse Club] my senior year.” Greenhouse club is sponsored by science

teacher Debra Sengsavath who has slowly, for the past few years, been cleaning up the greenhouse by herself. She was using the greenhouse for her own classes as well. “It’s kind of hard working [on the greenhouse] with one person, and [Kattula] was interested in setting up a club and having kids come help,” Sengsavath said. “It was tremendous to have 15 hands versus my own two hands, [and having students who were] excited to help me get it cleaned up and get some plants growing again.“ In Greenhouse Club, students grow plants and

environment. “[We’re] raising awareness of the environment, because we’re also a branch of the Environmental Action Club, and if we try to raise environmental awareness we can improve what’s going on right now,” senior Jacob Gabble said. The club is currently finishing up cleaning the greenhouse. They are also selling t-shirts as a fundraiser. “Basically we’ve just been fixing up the greenhouse and getting it ready so we can actually start putting plants into it,” Gabble said. “We’ve washed the floors and cleaned the walls. I

think we are possibly going to be painting in here if we get it approved by [principal Randy] Karr.” The club is planning to present their request to paint a mural to Karr. Then they will wait for approval. “We decided that we were going to do the four seasons or a biome-type of scheme on the wall,” Kattula said. The club meets every Tuesday in room II-305, after school until around 3:30 p.m. cheyanne brazelton Greenhouse club picks up trash outside of the school. The club is planning a mural for one of the greenhouse walls and will present their request to principal Randy Karr.

Cheyanne Brazelton

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Literary Magazine meets to discuss their schedule and plans for the year. The magazine is currently accepting submissions.

Literary Magazine accepting submissions

Alex Sorrell

No set theme for magazine this year, open to all art pieces Want to know a fact Faust said. “The verbal about Smoky Hill? No, it is side is made up of kids who not that we actually do have like poetry, prose and nongreenhouse, or that there is fiction, while the visual side some secret room. It is that is more about art.” we have a literary magazine Literary magazine is club. a club for While the anyone who [I joined] lit mag main purpose expresses his of the club because of my love for self through is putting art. I thought it would any form of t o g e t h e r be a great way to art. the literary share a little bit about “[I joined] lit magazine that myself since I can be mag because comes out quiet in class. of my love for and the end of art. I thought Joice Cecillo,12 the year, they it would be a also do other great way to activities. share a little “They have exercises bit about myself since I can to improve their writing be quiet in class,” senior and then there are the two Joice Cecillo said. “I was sides to lit mag club, verbal excited that last year people and visual,” club sponsor actually read it and were journalism teacher Carrie passionate about it.”

‘‘

Junior Nathan Mendonca thinks the club is an excellent way to relax after a stressful day. “I like how relaxing and quiet [lit mag] is,” Mendonca said. “It takes my mind off of things.” This year the publication does not have a set theme, like last year. “I like that there isn’t a topic this year. It’s not as limiting and I think we can express ourselves more,” Cecillo said. Right now the club is accepting pieces of art and literature for the literary magazine. Literary Magazine Club meets every Wednesday in room I-219. alex sorrell

Submit Your Pieces To the Literary Magazine

There is no theme this year, so submissions can be about the topic of your choice Submit literary and art pieces by Feb. 2 to: Rachael Frank: rfrank3@ cherrycreekschools. org Joice Cecillo: jcecillo2@ cherrycreekschools. org

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Hannah Kim

National English Honor Society plans trivia night Trivia Night part of events planned for Winter Spirit Week How many eyelids does a camel have? You might be able to learn the answer from National English Honor Society (NEHS). NEHS will be holding a trivia night Jan. 25 as a part of Winter Spirit Week from 7-9 p.m. in the cafeteria. “For the past couple of years, NEHS was just a random club,” senior president Rasmi Thapa

said. “I thought this would be a good way to promote the club and have fun.” The format of the trivia night will be a Jeopardy style game with teams of four to six members. “I’m optimistic; I’m hoping everything will work out,” sophomore Sidharth Tripathi said. “This is a big jump for NEHS because it’s not a well-known club.

Hopefully this will boost recognition.” NEHS is a studentrun club for students with academic excellence in English. “[The students are] great leaders,” NEHS sponsor Holly Hoggarth said. “I feel like the students should be the bosses and they’re doing a really great job at that.” After the trivia night, the

club is planning to take part in World Awareness Week by setting up a table and selling food to fundraise. By the way, a camel has three eyelids. hannah kim NEHS members sit and talk about their plans for their trivia night. The event will be held Jan. 25 from 7-9 p.m. in the cafeteria.

TRIVIA

? o f

Be the first to answer all the questions correctly and turn them in to the Express and receive a prize 1. How many noses does a slug have? 2. What percentage a jellyfish is water?

3. How many lighthouses are in the state of Maine? 4. What is the only animal

that doesn’t sleep? 5. How many different animals are in the animal cracker zoo? 6. How many grooves are there on the edge of a quarter? 7. What is the only bird that can fly backwards?

8. What was the first TV show to have reruns? 9. How many steps does the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. have? 10. What was the last letter to be added to the English alphabet? Hint: Look under a Snapple cap

Submit all answers on a sheet of paper with your name and grade to room I-219. The first three students to come in with the answers will receive a prize from the Express staff.

6 2 S T R O P S

SPORTS MATCHES TO ATTEND THIS WINTER

1. Boys’ Basketball 1/14/11 Home game against Cherokee Trail High School

2. Girls’ Swimming 1/15/11

The poms team performs during halftime at a football game. The buffs’ performed in the Jazz area of competition at State this year.

Kelly Hein

Poms place 6th

Girls compete in annual Smoky Hill invitational Kendra Reid

Team performs Jazz dance at State

The Smoky Hill poms team has been through a lot this season. Earlier this year, sisters Bailey (senior) and Olivia (sophomore) Fuller left Smoky and the poms team. “It made a big impact,” senior Meredeth Wood said. “Not only did we lose a lot of talent on the team, but we lost friends as well. I had been on poms with Bailey for three years.” But despite the loss of the Fuller sisters, the team continued to perfect their jazz routine for the State competition. “Our dances are very different from last year,” sophomore Dayna Wafer said. “Our team this year is very good with jazz.” Instead of performing in the pom pons category this year, the

Shelby Hunt

team decided to compete using their jazz routine. “We thought jazz worked well with the new team that we had this season,” Wood said. “We thought it would be more fun and more different to perform.” With the new routine, the poms girls’ were excited for State and had high hopes for the final outcome. “We’re all very excited,” Wood said. “Everybody is ready and we’re hoping to [place in] the top five.” At the State competition, the poms team placed 6th out of 18 teams in the Jazz competition. The State title went to Mountain Vista High School with Highlands Ranch High School taking second. tyler blair

3. Girls’ Basketball 1/26/11 The girls take on Grandview High School at home

Brianna Evans

4. Girls’ Basketball 1/28/11 Home game against Overland High School Brianna Evans

5. Boys’ Basketball 1/21/11 Home game against Eaglecrest High School

Shelby Hunt

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Sophomore Daniel Kasberg pins freshman Jacob Jones while going through routines during practice.

Tyler Bush

Wrestling starts new season fresh New room, new athletes, and new assistant coach start the wrestling season

The wrestling team is off to a fresh start this year, compliments of a new room, new athletes, and a new assistant coach. Coach James Miller is the new assistant wrestling coach, and is introducing different things to the team. Miller graduated from Chadron College, having competed in its wrestling program. Miller brings new and current things to the team, and acts as the team’s technician. “[My favorite part of the job is] just getting down and working with the kids and watching the kids start to pick up these things and grasp these little concepts,” Miller said.

Smoky Hill’s renovations over the summer had their effects on the wrestling room. The facility now features new padding all around the room, and more area to practice with. “We’ve got this new room to work with and it’s more spacious,” Head Coach Jim Opperman said. “It’s been a positive change.” Last year no wrestlers qualified for State. However, at Regionals senior Garret Mowbray placed fifth and junior Kirk Owens took sixth. Opperman says the team is focused on doing well at Regionals and

going to State. The varsity Regionals Tournament will be held on Feb. 11, and the State Tournament on Feb. 17-19. tyler bush

Tyler Bush

Below: Head Coach Jim Opperman pushes his wrestlers through practice. The team is starting the season with new facilities and a new assistant coach.

8 2 S T R O SP

Tyler Blair Tyler Blair

Tyler Blair

Yeah: The girls’ smile for the crowd after completing part of their routine. Up in the air: Freshmen Michaela Price vaults in the air during the cheer’s routine. Preparation: The team prepares to take the floor at the State competition. SHHS: The cheer team showcases Smoky’s initials during their State performance. Pyramid: Junior Bailey Neel and senior Kayleigh Bernot dismount off the pyramid during their performance. Reaction: The Buffs’ take a seat after their performance and emotions take over.

Tyler Blair

11th

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The frustration of a Smoky Hill

Tyler Blair

Junior Bailey Neel knew she had messed up. She knew she had messed up big time. “I started to fall and I could feel my base crumbling, and the first thought that came to mind was ‘Oh shit,’” she said. “I couldn’t believe it was happening. We had two seconds left in the routine, and here I was, falling. I could see my base’s faces and they were just shocked.” Neel and the rest of the cheer team finished the routine. “You finish the routine, and you have to jump around, smiling, and screaming like you’ve done it perfectly even though you know you screwed it up,” she said. “The second we got off the floor, I broke down. I could feel my teammates eyes boring into the back of my head and they were thinking ‘I cant believe she just fell, I cant believe she just fell.’” After the performance,

tyler blair

CHEERLEADER the team had to sit and wait for 2 more hours while other teams performed their routines before the winners were announced. Neel tried to keep her emotions in check. “It was torture,” she said. “You cant cry when other people are crying, especialy when you are the reason they are crying. It doesn’t feel right to cry. I cant explain it.” Despite the buffs’ blunder, only one team had a perfect routine on the floor, leaving hope for the buffs’ to place high. “There was still the thought that we could place 2nd or 3rd because so many other teams had fallen just like we did,” Neel said. In the end, Grandview High School placed first followed by Chapparal High School in second. Smoky Hill placed sixth. “I was a little surprised,” Neel said. “But the tumbling that the girls at Grandview do is amazing and have a higher difficulty than the stunts in our routines. Even though they had a couple

mistakes, their difficulty level was higher than ours.” Now the main focus for the team is the National Competition, which will be held in Orlando, Florida in February. “We’re going to add some changes to our routine, and up the difficulty in our stunts,” she said. “Even though we crashed at state, I think there is still a high possibilty of us getting into finals at nationals, which we haven’t done in a while.” But for Neel herself, nationals serves not only as a competition, but a comeback as well. “Itwould be redeeming,” she said. “My motivation is to make the seniors and myself proud. It would show people that I am capable of making a comeback after an experience like State.” Inset: Junior Bailey Neel reacts to her fall during the performace. The fall cost the team a state championship and led the team to place 6th.

Cheerleading

Final Standings

Tyler Blair

Grandview High School

Arapahoe High School

Chapparal High School

Ponderosa High School

Eaglecrest High School

Smoky Hill High School

0 3 S T R O P S

1 4 d e k n a r n o s a e Buffs winning record e s s t r a t s g n i m m i Girls’ sw crest and Denver East help giv le

Wins against Eag

The girls’ swim team started off the season with 54 swimmers and nine divers. No girls were cut, but some dropped out after the first week. “I think if we can stay healthy we can be at least as strong as a year ago,” head swim coach Scott Cohen said. “We lost a good diver and some state qualifiers but we have some very good freshmen. We probably have the best team since five years ago.” Five years ago, the Buffs were fifth in the State. Last year, they were ninth, although swimmer Kelse Johnson had broken her hand, and Cohen thinks they could have placed higher if she had not. The Buffs are 4-1 so far, having only lost against Cherry Creek. “It’s been really good,” senior Kylie Markle said. “Our first two meets were a lot of fun and we did really well as a team. We’re always like a big family, and this year isn’t an exception. We always have a good connection.”

SCOREBOARD

GIRL’S SWIMMING RECORD: 4-1 vs. Eaglecrest W (253 points) vs. Denver East W (227 points) vs. Cherokee Trail W (277 points) vs. Grandview W (241 points) vs. Cherry Creek L (158 points)

Markle thinks the new pool has created a sense of energy and enthusiasm. “It’s amazing,” Markle said. “I love it. The locker room can fit a lot more people now, and the pool is beautiful. It’s one that everyone wants to swim in.” Cohen said that the pool is crowded after school, and that about 20 swimmers show up for morning practices. “I think we have [potential] to do very well the entire year,” Cohen said. “I like our chances.” daniel jennings Senior Courtney Wedel swims freestyle during a meet against Grandview High School. The girls have placed 1st in five events and 2nd in one event. Junior Kelse Johnson takes a breath after swimming.

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d r o c e r 6 5 a s d l o irls’ basketball h Grandview

y Eaglecrest and la p to s re a p re p Team “We worked really hard, I

The Lady Buffs started their season off with wins against Eaglecrest High School, Littleton High School, and Overland High School. The team has lost against Rock Canyon High School and Arapahoe High School. “I think we moved really well as a team,” said junior Mikelle AsberryWilliams. “We worked well with the new coach, we put in all our plays that he taught us, and we tried to keep our pace up” Head Coach Dwayne Brandon believes that with a lot of enthusiasm, stressing the fundamentals, demanding perfection, and hard work from the ladies, the team will be successful. “In the tournament we were just understanding how to play, they are understanding how to play defense, play with the intensity needed to win to games, and it all came together in our victiry against Littleton,” said Brandon. Junior Katie Chelf has been with the Smoky basketball team since her freshman year. She is confident about the upcoming season. “I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Chelf said.

think we’re prepared.” The team has their eyes set on changing the way they are viewed by other teams and by their school. They are ready to make a name for themselves for the seasons to come. “I want to come out with a win and make a name for ourselves in this league,” said Chelf. Brandon believes his team is prepared for the season ahead of them. “The girls have really come together as a team, understand how to play hard, and play as a team” said Brandon. “My expectations have increased tremendously based on our performance so far.” The Buffs face Eaglecrest High School on January 21 and Grandview High School on Janurary 26. brianna evans

SCOREBOARD GIRL’S BASKETBALL RECORD: 5-6 vs. Columbine L (25-27) vs. Eaglecrest W (42-37) vs. Golden L (34-48) vs. Littleton W (46-26) vs. St. Mary’s W(47-38) vs. Jefferson Academy L(47-59) vs. Holy Family L(36-66) vs. Hinkley W(67-25) vs. Rock Canyon L(39-55) vs. Overland W(42-33) vs. Arapahoe L(42-53)

Senior Nia Sims prepares to shoot a free throw during practoce. The girls are currently at a 5-6 record.